Interface, Recorder, and Drum Machine/Sampler All in One!

Is it an 8-input, 24-track recorder? Is it a loop sequencer, sampler, and drum machine? Is it an audio interface and DAW control surface? Yes -- the Zoom R24 is all of these things! Zoom packs functionality into an under-3-pound, 15-inch-wide package, making the R24 the perfect portable solution for multi-tracking live shows, band rehearsals, and song ideas -- even on six AA batteries. The R24 records up to 8 simultaneous tracks from its eight combination XLR-1/4" inputs, and with built-in stereo microphones, drum machine, and tuner, it's the perfect songwriting scratchpad. Use the R24's onboard effects to mix your masterpiece, or plug in a USB cable to transfer your WAV-format tracks to any digital audio workstation (DAW). You can even use the R24's faders and transport buttons as your DAW control surface. The Zoom R24 is one ultra-portable recorder -- and it's also right at home as the heart of your studio.

8 Versatile Mic/Line Inputs, Plus Built-in Mics

Whether you're tracking a full band, or a drum kit with multiple mics, the R24 allows eight channels of simultaneous recording from its eight combination XLR-1/4" inputs. One input accepts Hi-Z sources like a guitar or bass, and six can supply phantom power to condenser microphones or active DI boxes. All eight can accept line-level sources, such as synths or external mic preamps. And because the R24 has no hard drive or noisy fans, you can even make quick recordings with the built-in pair of microphones on the unit's left and right sides -- convenient for scratch vocals, hand percussion, or acoustic guitar.

Record 8 Tracks, Play Back 24

Record eight tracks at a time, or lay down your performances one by one. However you like to roll, the R24's audio recorder has helpful functions like manual and auto punch-in/out, markers, A-B repeat, trim, bounce, and undo. You get unlimited "virtual tracks" -- record a part as many times as you need, then choose the best take from a menu of numbered, saved takes on the LCD screen -- without eating up track real estate. And because this is the R24, you get 24 tracks of simultaneous playback. Use the eight faders to adjust volume, pan, EQ, and effects on each track, and apply send-return effects through the mixer's send-return bus. The R24 has hundreds of effects onboard, from guitar amp simulations to rich reverbs.

Easy File Transfer With SD Card or USB

With computers and software DAWs growing ever faster and more powerful, few musicians want to be limited to editing and mixing on a standalone hardware recorder. That's why Zoom makes it so easy to transfer your recording projects to your Mac or PC. The R24 saves individual tracks as industry-standard WAV files in 44.1 or 48 kHz, 16-bit or 24-bit format, on inexpensive SD card/SDHC media up to 32GB. This means no proprietary formats to deal with or hard drives to crash. The R24 comes with a 1GB SD card to get you started. Transfer files to your computer with the included USB cable, or plug in any USB thumb drive to make backups of your recordings when your computer's not handy.

Serious DAW Integration

Once you've transferred a project to your computer, keep that USB cable plugged in: the R24 now functions as a control surface for your DAW, using standard Mackie Control architecture. And if you want to track some overdubs into your DAW, go ahead and plug your mics or instruments into the R24: it's now an 8-in/2-out bus-powered USB 2.0 audio interface, with 1/4" outputs to feed your studio monitor speakers. Switch to a 2-in/2-out setup for higher-definition 96 kHz/24-bit audio. The R24 ships with Cubase LE 5, so you can immediately start using its nine faders and transport buttons as a control surface and front end for Cubase, Sonar, Logic, and more -- just add a computer.

On-Board Sequencer, Sampler, and Drum Machine

Just take a look at the row of nine buttons across the bottom of the R24 labeled Kick, Snare, Open Hat, and so on. That's right, these are velocity-sensitive drum pads that you can use to play 10 types of drum kits. Use any of 400+ preset patterns, or edit and save your own -- then use the pads to trigger them within the R24's sequencer. It's simple to arrange songs, and even alter time signatures or delete beats from bars on the flexible grid. In the 24-voice sampler, you can import or record your own loops, trim and time-stretch the waveforms on-screen, then assign your loops to pads for real-time triggering. The sequencer and recorder work together, so you can lay down instrument or vocal performances on while playing back loops on other tracks. The R24 comes with a thumb drive and SD card pre-loaded with 1.5 GB drum loops to get you started.

A Portable Powerhouse

Say you don't have a laptop to run a DAW on -- or you just don't want to lug around your computer, interface, and all the cables to shows or rehearsals. You're in luck: the R24 is made to travel. It runs for about 4.5 hours on six AA batteries, or you power it from the included AC adapter. The "guard rails" on the sides of your R24 protect its knobs and buttons from damage when you slide it into your backpack or laptop bag. With the Zoom R24, you get all the portability of Zoom's famous handheld recorders, plus the flexibility of a multitrack recorder, interface, controller, and sampler.

Zoom R24 24-Channel Multitrack Recorder

The Zoom R series was designed to give musicians a portable recording command center that doubles as a digital audio interface for either Mac or PC. Using SDHC/SD memory cards for storage, every recorder in the R series features multiple channels of simultaneous recording, playback, and control for optimal musical blend, balance, and precision. The R24 controller is the most advanced device in the series, featuring eight more channels of playback than the R16, a sampler, a drum machine with velocity sensitive buttons, and four additional channels of phantom-power (for a total of 6).

The R24 is designed to deliver flawlessly produced recordings and a plethora of sound capture options. Eight tracks of simultaneous recording make recording groups or individually micing a drum kit fast and simple. A total of six phantom powered channels allow for multiple condenser microphones, perfect for capturing acoustic guitar or live group vocals. Twenty four channels of playback help you monitor the blend and find interesting layers of sound. Additionally, the R24 can be daisy-chained to another R24 or R16 for up to 16 channels of simultaneous recording or 48 channels of playback.

The SDHC cards help to facilitate the recording process. Each 32GB card can hold up to 100 hours of track recording. These cards can be easily swapped out, stored, and backed-up on USB memory sticks and other memory devices for excellent memory security.

But the R24 is much more than a simple recorder; it is also an incredibly helpful audio interface. With the convenient USB plug, the R24 can be attached to most computers or laptops. Although the R24 comes standard with Cubase LE 5, any standard DAW software will work with the R24. The simultaneous 8-in/2-out capacity allows the recording of 16-bit/44.1kHz audio. This setup can be reordered to a simultaneous 2-in/2-out configuration for higher definition 24-bit/96kHz audio. If the sampling rate is 44.1kHz, the internal DSP effects of the R24 can be added to the computer tracks. Dedicated controls let the R24 precisely tune mixing levels and balance between the computer playback and the source information, eliminating the frustrating exercise of setting EQ levels with a computer mouse.

The effects function of the R24 is incredibly intuitive and features almost limitless options. The 24 voice sampler allows you to assign audio files as loops on any of the tracks. Built-in drum pads let you choose from 10 different kit sound models, or you can play the touch-sensitive pads in real time and set your own loops and rhythms, storing up to 511 at once. Included, the R24 has over 400 preprogrammed drum patterns and comes with a USB flash drive housing 500MB more of drum loops recorded by Grammy Award winning jazz/fusion drummer, Peter Erskine. The R24 also comes with 150 types of DSP effects, 390 patches, 16 guitar amp models, and 6 bass amp models for an inexhaustible assortment of sonic choices.

With the R series, for convenience and expedience of use, Zoom has merged a multi-track recorder, audio interface, controller and a sampler into a single device. Loaded with more features and capabilities than the R16, but at a price that is still rather affordable, the R24 is the flagship of the R series armada.

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"The WOW factor!"

Sound:
Your "sounds" are easy to capture and manipulate! :) Seriously, this is a great and affordable piece of gear! The pre-amps probably arn't the best, (I don't have any other experience) but so far, my recordings have come out clean and they don't seem to produce any noise.
Feature:
The R24 is packed with features! Some you might not need, (the sequencer and drum machine in my case) others are amazing for the price! As a standalone recorder it excels and is exteremly portable. Even the built-in mics are suprisingly good and are more than sufficient for recording rehearsals, field recording or use as a song writing scratch pad.
As an audio interface, (which is what I primarily use it for) it's AWESOME! 8 simultaneous inputs to record anything from an acoustic singer/guitar player to tracking a full drum kit into your DAW of choice. (I use Reaper and it works flawlessly) It's got two outputs, plus a headphone output with individual level adjustment for basic monitoring and mixing.
I also use the control surface function for basic transport and level control while mixing. (STOP, PLAY, FORWARD, REWIND plus transport between markers if you use them.) The solo and mute buttons work well, although you need to choose which function is active with the softkeys under the screen. The faders also adjust your tracks in your DAW as well. Note that you can only use banks 1-8 and 9-16 in conjuction with your DAW tracks. Banks 17-24 don't work for some reason. So, if you have more than 16 tracks in your project, you'll need to click on that track in your DAW and control it's level with the corresponding fader. i.e. track 17 in your project would be fader 1 on the zoom; track 18 would be fader 2 , so on and so fourth. As a control surface, the zoom also works while tracking as well. (REC. ARM, STOP, REC. PLAY, etc.)
The R24 also comes with a 1GB SD Card and a 1GB flashdrive filled with pre-recorded drum loops. I've listened to them and they sound good, although I haven't used them, they could be useful.
Ease of Use:
I give this an 8 because you really do need to read the manual to learn to use the zoom to its full potential. Especially regarding file import/export, etc. Additionally, you'll need to read it to fully comprehend how to navigate and use all of the insert effects the zoom has to offer. Plug and Play is possible, but to achieve the most this unit has to offer, READ THE MANUAL.
Quality:
Yes, this product is plastic. How else do you think they can pack so many features into such an affordable product? So, if you're looking for a tank-like road-worthy piece of equipment, don't get this. Also, if you don't take care of your gear, DON'T GET THIS. That said, if you do take care of your gear, by all means, there will be no concerns with quality. The pots and faders ok and work like they should, but they will not hold up to negligent care or use. Honestly, if you're spending $500 on something, why wouldn't you take care of it?
Value:
As stated before, the bang for the buck is definately here. It has too many great features and is incredibly useful for the price.
Manufacturer Support:
10- Haven't needed it! :)
The Wow Factor:
Those who seek, will find. This was exactly what I was looking for, and I knew it when I saw it.
Overall:
I've had the Zoom R24 for 6 months and it's gotten frequent use. Recording rehersals and tracking my band 2 or more times a month and tied to my desk serving as an interface/control surface/sketchpad the rest of the time. That said, I expect to be exteremely satisfied with this unit for years to come. I only plan on upgrading when the need arises, that is, I need more inputs! If I want better mic pres, I'll just get a standalone unit to use in conjuction with the R24. For the money, there is no better unit to affordably get into home recording. If you're unsure, or don't have the need for 8 simultaneous inputs or 24 simultaneous tracks, go with the R16 or R8. Zoom has made a follower out of me!

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"I like it!"

Overall:
My previous digital recording experience was on various Korg stand alone units. I liked Korg because they put descriptions in layman's terms (I definitely am not a computer guy) and they were easy to use. I never really maxed out on the Korg but I could see where the limitations were If I wanted to do any serious recording and be able to easily transfer my work to an actual studio. This being said I spent about a year wondering how exactly to jump in to actual computer recording and still have the hands on feeling. I saw the Zoom R24, read about it and thought "hey, I'll give it a shot". Well long story short I love it. I am slowly learning and keeping my user manual close at hand. The more I learn the more I envision what I can do with this machine. I am saving to get a good computer to load the included Cubase on. Without going into details I can say I am very happy with my purchase. I haven't had it long enough to give much of an opinion on features I haven't explored yet but from what I can see it will be lots of fun (I love the work) and already I am already doing some cool recording. I can't rate manufacturer support but from what I see on other reviews, I'm not concerned. Plus I know ZZounds has always treated me well.

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